Locking device



June 24, 1924. 1,499,091

R. BAER LOCKING DEVIQE Filed March 24. 1921 "WYWW NVENTOR A TTOH/VEY Patented `lune 24, 1924.

UNITED STATES RICHARD BAER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LOCKING nnvIcn Application filed March 24, 1921.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, RICHARD BAER, a citizen of Czechoslovakia, and resident of the borough of Manhat-tan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Locking Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to locking devices, and has for its object to provide an improved locking device which will be substantially safe and not openable excepting by one who has an authorized key therefor. Generally speaking, the invention relates to combination locks, but different from the usual run of combination locks, in that the mechanism is so arranged as to be very simple in manufacture, convenient in installation and secure in operation.

The invention will be more fully described in the following description and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In .the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a View of a door having my improved locking devicef attached thereto, the said door and jamb being shown only in part;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the locking device which is shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4V is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a Vertical section taken on the line 5-5 ofv Figure 3; and

Figure 6 isa vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 but with the several members in different positions in respect to each other depending upon the Acombination of the key inserted therein; and i Figure 7 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a key; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the key in which the key is yin folded position.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various views.

Referring to the drawings and more par ticularly to Figures 1 and 2, the usual door 10 is therein shown suitably hinged at 11 to one jamb 12 and abutting against the other jamb 13. Secured to the jamb 13 is one portion of the lock indicated 1n general by 1'5 in Figures 1 and 2 and secured to a po- `sition on the door 10. Opposite to the part Serial N0. 455,013.

15 is the other part of the lock indicated by 16 in Figures 1 and 2. The part 15 is composed of an embracing shell 2O having therein a movable latching member 21 adapted to be moved by means of a handle 22 secured by screw threads to the latching member 21 and protruding outwardly therefrom. The enclosing shell or casing 20 has a slot 23 acting as a guide slot in which the handle 22 may move to and fro against the action of the spring 24 which is held at one end on a protruding rod 24 and which seats in a cavity 26 of the latching member. The latching member itself has a conical or beveled surface 27 and a square shaped corner surface 28. This casing 20 may be applied to the door jamb 13 by suitable screws or other fastening means as indicated by 29 in Figure 1.

The other part of the locking device consists of a casing 30` within which is arranged a plurality of guide channels running throughout the length of the casing and i11- ldicated by 31. Within these guide slots 31 are arranged helical springs 32, one spring for each slot or channel. Wit-hin the guideV channels are also arranged a plurality of members each in the shape of a cube indicated by 33. i

In the embodiment shown in Figure 4 for instance there are shown eight (8) cubes.

The cubes are so arranged as to be next to veach other and to be movable within the guide channel or guide slots 31 and also movable in the circular passage indicated byr35 of the guide slot 31. Thus by moving the series of cubes within the guide slots or guide channels the springs 32 will become compressed and when pressure is released on the outermost cube the spring will expand and force the series of cubes back t0 the original position as shown in F igures3 and 4. Each channel has akey slot 33, as shownin Figures 3and 4. This is adapted to receive a beard of the key and to guide the same. Fach slot 38 permits the ready entrance of each beard 39 of the key '40. The remaining cubes are utilized to work out by a series of permutations, a combination action. Thus, the eight cubes in each guide slot and the four guide slots, provide 36 cubes, and hence a large number of combinations could be worked out as will readily appear.

In the combination shown in the embod ment of the drawing, the second cube of the uppermost channel, as seen in Figure 4, is provided with a slot or recess indicated by 41. In the second channel of the embodiment of Figure 4, the sixth cube is provided with a slot or recess 42. ln the third channel the eighth cube is provided with a slot or recess 43, and in the fourth channel the fourth cube is provided with va slot or recess 44. yIt is only when these four recesses able `the lock yto be opened.

or slots 41 to 44 are brought together in a vertical line that it is possible to bring about ythe alignment of the slots so as to en- Vihen these four cubes are brought into alignment then the slots or recesses therein permit a spring actuated member l5() to be moved and this then permits the stems 51 thereof, asv shown inFigures Band 5, to enter Within therecesses orpslots 41 to 44.` The member 50 is Connected with a handle or 'key 52 at the outside of the door and this handle can only be operated so as to move the member and the stems 5l vWithin the cubes as before described, when the `recessed cubes are brought into alignment With each other. In this condition, these stems 5l will then enter the openings 4l to 44 and this then will permit the complete movement yof the member 5'() and permit also thereby the disengagement of Ithe protruding latching member fromthe portion 28 of the latching member 21. The door may then be opened.

VIt will thus be clearly seen that the locking device can only be operated as to be opened when an authorized key 40 is used. Namely, a key must be provide-dwvhich has its beards of such length that they` will force the recessed cubes into that position as to cause the particular recessed cubes to be brought into alignment, at which time only the stems 5l can enter into the slots or recesses and thereby permit the handle 52 to be operated and the latcliing member 55 Withdrawn from the latching member 21. Shouldany of the beards be of a different size ythan such as to, compel the cubes to be moved to the proper distance inwardly of the guide channels the combination ivill not result. d

1n Figure 8, I have shown a key 70 in which the beards are hinged on their base and which beards 71 may be folded downwardly so as to make a very compact key that canbe readily carried in the pocket.

In Figure 5, the handle 52 has a stem portion'S projecting through the door so as to engage with the llatching member' 50 by means vof the guide 59 andV this handle may also be shaped in the form of a key that may 'be replaced or removed. In the preferable embodiment, l make the handle 52 detachable U i. y

The guide slots 38 of the guide channels as shown in Figure 3 may be provided With av cover suitably hinged at 63 to the casing or holding portions 64 by means of which 'tli'e 'giii'd'e channel portion may be suitably secured to the door by screws 65 or other fastening means. The guide channels are preferably formed Within a casing GG as shown in Figure 4 Which is provided with three partitions in the embodiment shown, ivhich partitions are indicated by G7, (i8 and G9. The casing 66 may also be provided ivith an extension 70 which may be suitably secuied to the door 10. y

One advantage of my improved locking device is that it is very simple in its mannfacture. The provision of a casing may readily carried out and this casing may be readily provided With partitions which may be separate from the casing and readily inserted into the casing itself. This can be done by castings or machine Work. The cubes referred to may be readily made of metal and lend themselves admirably in their guidance in the channel.

They also lend themselves readily to a change in the combination should it be desired to change this combination, the cubes as shown in Figure 4 can be transposed so as to form any combination or the slots or recesses therein can be closed up by means of a suitable metal filling and slots or recesses 4can be supplied in other cubes. This Will then vrequire a key of a different shape to operate the 'cubes and bring them in the position so that vthe openings are in alignment With each other, so as to permit the stems 5l to enter therein on the operation of the handle or key 52. d

One of the important uses ofV my invention is the application of the. locking device to doors, but anothe'rvequally important use thereof is in co'nnection with automobiles, so as to provide a secure lock for automobiles which can only be operated and opened by means of a definite key of a definite contiguration. The operation of the entire device is most simple: The key 40 or 70 is inserted and the cubes are then moved until the recessed cubes are in alignment. Then the key or handle 52 is operated and the stems 5i enter the recesses of the cubes. Thereby the locking disengagement results. The stems 5l cannot be operated to disengage the locking members until a passage for the stems 51 is provided. And this can only be provided by a key of proper shape.

l have described several embodiments 'of my invention, but changes may be made therein Without departing from the spirit of my invention, as defined in the annexed claims.

I claim:

1.V An improved locking device com iising a casing having a series of guiding c iannels, springs therein, cubical members in thel channels urged to an initial 'position by the springs, certain of said cubical members having recesses, means engageable with the cubical members to urge them from the initial position against the influence of said springs to a position of alinement of the recessed members, and a latching member having stems adapted to enter the alined recesses of said oubical members.

2. An improved locking device consisting of a easing having a plurality of slots therein, helical springs Within each slot, a plu` rality of oubioal members guided in each slot, a latching' member, stems on the latohing member adapted to enter openings in the cubical members When said openings are in alignment with each other, and a key having projections of different lengths adapted to enter the casing' and move the series of cubical members until the apertured members thereof are in alignment with each other When the latohing member may enter the slots or recesses of the cubioal members whereupon the door may beopened.

3. A lock comprising a casing, a series of roWs of permutation members in the easing normally held in an initial position, certain of said permutation members having recesses therein, a lateh having pins adapted to engage in the recesses of said permutation members when the recessed members are alined, and a key for shifting said rows of permutation members in the easing to eect alinement of the recessed members.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name hereunder.

RICHARD BARR. 

